AYP and Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada Formalize Partnership to Support Young Professionals

Adventist Young Professionals (AYP) and the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada (SDACC) have officially entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU), marking an important step toward strengthening collaboration and expanding opportunities for young professionals across Canada.

The agreement, signed on October 5, 2026, establishes a framework for AYP and the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada to work together in supporting young adult ministry. Rather than prescribing a single approach, the MOU provides flexibility for more specific partnerships with individual conferences, allowing both organizations to explore opportunities that respond to the needs of young professionals in their respective communities.

Speaking in Toronto during the Ontario Conference’s Young Professionals Network Convention on November 6, Joseph Richards, General Counsel for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada, emphasized the importance of working together to advance a shared mission.

“We all believe that there’s a place for you in the life and mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Your gifts, your ideas, and your service matter, and our goal is to help you put those talents to action.”

Richards described the agreement as an “umbrella framework” designed to support more specific arrangements with individual conferences. He also encouraged young adults to engage with church leaders and explore ways to contribute their gifts and talents to the mission of the Church.

Cyril Millett III, Executive Secretary and Vice President for Administration for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada, also welcomed the partnership, expressing appreciation for AYP’s ministry and its growing presence in Canada.

“We are continuing to encourage collaboration and cooperation to the glory of God, because we believe that when young people put their lives in Christ’s hands, when they abide in Christ, and He and them, amazing things happen to His glory.”

During the gathering, Millett invited AYP Founder and Board Chairman Tim Kosaka forward for a special prayer of dedication, asking God to bless the ministry and its continued collaboration with the Church in Canada.

For AYP, this partnership reflects a shared commitment to helping young professionals remain connected to the Church, grow spiritually, develop as leaders, and use their gifts in service. As conversations continue with church leaders and conferences across Canada, the agreement creates new opportunities to strengthen existing efforts and explore future initiatives together.

AYP looks forward to working alongside the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada to cultivate Christ-centered communities where young professionals can connect, grow, and serve.

* Originally published on the Adventist Young Professionals’ blog on November 8, 2026.